by andreww18 » Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:31 pm
Munros included on this walk: Driesh, Mayar
Date walked: 09/09/2017
Time taken: 6 hours
Distance: 14.5 km
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Opting for the east rather than the wetter west, we opted for the twin peaks of Mayar and Driesh - keen to get a double summit claim under our belts and ever keener to see Corrie Fee, the immense glacial amphitheatre which leads to Mayar.
Arriving at the Glen Doll car park just before 7am on a Sunday morning there were only a couple of other cars there. For being so relatively close to Kirriemuir, the A90 and Dundee, the place has a remarkable feeling of wildness about it. Sure there are Forestry Commission guide posts and info boards but a quick walk from the car park and you're heading through the pine forest and entering the absolutely breath-taking Corrie Fee.
Ahead is the waterfall tumbling down off the corrie wall; to the right is the rockier Craig Rennet and to the left is the bulk of Driesh although the summit is hidden at this point (as is Mayar's).
It's an arresting sight though and we spend a good 15 mins gawping - but it's also windy and we begin to cool down quickly so we layer up and head up on the great path towards the waterfall.
The path soon begins to climb and winds its way up the left hand side of the waterfall. The view behind down into the Corrie is remarkable. The path takes a veer right up even steeper just at the base of the waterfall. Eventually the steepness relents a bit and tops out before leading you out onto the grassy approach to Mayar's summit.
A couple coming down said they'd camped out overnight but it was basically a cloudy whiteout at the top with nothing to see, so they were bailing and not doing Driesh.
We plodded on and soon made the summit at 9.30am - yes the cloud had come down and the wind was howling, but it was still exhilirating. It was bitingly cold and the winds were bordering on fierce so we dropped down on the path between Mayar and Driesh. It's a relatively straightforward walk towards the base of Driesh, with the cloud zipping by and lifting. Soon we can see the path up over Driesh's shoulder. We stop and meet a chap from Arbroath and his spaniel and we stop to chat for a bit. He's got 35 left to do - he's 65 next year and is aiming to do another 15 in 2017 leaving 20 for 2018 and Ben More on Mull already selected as his final munro. A lovely man and i hope you compleat.
The path leads very easily up to Driesh's sunny summit cairn and we're there by 11am, stopping for some food.
Had we descended by the Kilbo Path we would have been back at the car without too much drama. However, believing there was a path off the north-facing shoulder of Driesh we had to carefully pick our way down a fairly steep, grassy, boggy, heathery slope which left us scratching our heads as to where the path actually was. We saw a family coming up from below and they seemed to be heading up. Eventually we pass and there is a faint track they've taken up, which we manage to get to before hitting the tree line and emerging just at the same point of the Kilbo Path. We laughed about it afterwards and looking back up we couldn't quite believe we'd come down that way but i'd definately recommend retracing your steps off Driesh and dropping down the sensible way.
Really glad to have these two bagged and a great day of hiking.
- Attachments
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- The magnificent Corrie Fee.
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- looking east towards Driesh from the entrance of Corrie Fee
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- Craig Rennet
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- Corrie Fee waterfall
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- Looking back down into Corrie Fee - amazing place.
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- taking a breather at the top of the Corrie Fee path climb and just before heading out onto the hillside approaching the summit.
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- The Corrie Fee seen from the descent off Driesh, Kilbo Path running down the opposite hillside.